


The Cavalier and The Inventor

by tangofox



Category: Marvel, Marvel (Comics), Marvel 616, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern: No Powers, Ballet, Dancers, Developing Relationship, Drama & Romance, M/M, Meet-Cute, Modern Era, One Night Stands, Romance, Slow Burn, Steve Rogers-centric, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, steve rogers is a sweetheart
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-04
Updated: 2019-12-04
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:15:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,770
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21668059
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tangofox/pseuds/tangofox
Summary: Steve Rogers thought that bumping into infamous billionaire Tony Stark was the very definition of the perfect meet-cute. Tony Stark thought that Principal Dancer Steve Rogers would make a perfect notch on his bedpost. Both were extraordinarily unprepared for the other, and what it meant to be a part of their lives.
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Kudos: 18





	The Cavalier and The Inventor

“All I’m saying is, if he’s late, technically that makes me your only option,” Bucky reasons from his position on the floor, grinning up at the redhead who was doing her absolute best to ignore him. One leg propped up against the barre as she stretched her fingers to her toes, she was more than aware that the man's eyes were on her, and not paying any attention to what he was doing.

“Maybe if you ogled me less, you actually would be the principal,” She points out mildly, not turning to look at him, or the dancers in the corner snickering at her remark. She knows without looking that there’s a pout on his face. “Don’t you get enough at home?”   
  
“Nah, my wife is a bitch,” Bucky declares with a grin, ducking his head just in time to avoid the pointe shoe thrown at his head.

His snickers quickly turn into an exaggerated groan as the door to the studio swings open, his best friend walking through, looking at little more than flustered. The room doesn’t stop for him, and nobody comments on his lateness, Steve simply dropping down into the splits next to Bucky, tossing a grey towel on the floor in reach. 

“I missed the bus,” Steve hisses at Bucky, glaring at his friend as if he had been the driver speeding up the bus on purpose. Bucky shoots him an innocent grin.

  
“Sorry to hear that pal. You looked so cosy passed out on the sofa, I thought I best leave you there,” Bucky apologises, though his forlorn expression doesn’t manage to keep the stupid grin off his face.

  
Steve only rolled his eyes at his best friend. They had been doing this to one another since high school. Desperately trying to one up one another, pull stupid pranks, get each other in trouble. Of course it never went too far, they both knew how to be respectful. But they definitely toed the line. A few weeks ago, Steve had put food colouring in Bucky’s shower gel, and the guy had been forced to come to practice with his skin still pink. Unlucky still, the Director had decided to sit in on practice that day, and Bucky had been forced to look Fury in the face and bullshit his way through telling the man that he thought a little body paint might help him get better in the zone for his role. Unsurprisingly the Director had been less than impressed, and had given Bucky an earful on being professional, all while Steve and Natasha had tried not to burst into fits with laughter. 

In comparison, Bucky switching off his alarm and having him sleep in late was pretty mild. But they didn’t exactly have time to be messing around with one another, as fun as it was. A day away from opening night, and they were all exhausted and on edge, ran ragged through endless hours of practice. Yet still, that half an hour Steve slept in didn’t give him any sense of refreshment, instead left him with half an hour less practice than usual. He’d stay late to make up for the time, but this close to the show, he stayed late anyway, most of them did. 

“I told Maria that you had a dentist appointment. You’re welcome,” Natasha tells him, a genuine smile for Steve, and a roll of her eyes at Bucky. “I wish you two would grow up. Carry on and neither of you will end up with Principal for the spring season. Isn’t this the last in your contract Steve? You ought to be putting double the effort in, not fooling around.”   
  
Steve gave her a sheepish smile as he got stuck into his warm up routine. Out of all of them, Natasha was the one who took everything seriously, all of the time. She had come to America specifically to dance, and they were all well aware of how lucky they were to have her. He had been a legend back in Russia, and not even Bucky knew the details of the contract negotiation it took to get her over here. She lived and breathed ballet, even when they were in the off season. But as much as Bucky and Steve liked to mess around, they took is seriously too. The two best friends had been dancing since they were teenagers, had met when they were both awkward and gawky, and had grown to be incredible dancers, together. 

In the world of ballet, Steve, Bucky and Natasha were superstars. Natalia Romanova was the Russian darling with distant ties to royalty with form like no other, her red hair a desired sight on the stage. Steve was the golden boy, the youngest ever Principal Dancer for ABT, just a few years out from holding the title the longest, best well known for a Hollywood movie he did when he was just nineteen, and was nominated for an Oscar for. James “Bucky” Barnes was widely known as ballets bad boy, with a habit of always being spotted at the hottest party scenes. He had abandoned his bachelor ways last year when he had married Natalia, but that certainly didn’t stop him from being a party boy.

The season was a busy one for them, one that had all of them dead on their feet. Fury had decided on The Nutcracker at the very last minute, which meant a million things for everyone to do. There were so many roles that nobody was left off stage, and nearly everyone had a moment in the spotlight, no matter whether they were corps, or one of the top dancers. Which meant the studios were often fit to burst, training was intense and constant, and everything felt overwhelmingly competitive. Even after the roles were handed out, everyone knew it was entirely possible for a smaller character to shine, to steal the attention and gain some recognition.

Thankfully, Steve didn’t need to worry too much about outshining everyone. It wasn’t ego, it was just the knowledge that he had worked hard to get to where he was today, that his place at the top was well earned. He worked hard to stay there too. Nights in the studio working himself ragged, a strict diet, a very small time for a social life, and absolutely no love life on the cards, whether he wanted it or not. Steve’s life had at one point become dance, and he hadn’t noticed everything else fall away. Sure, he wasn’t exactly lonely. A dancers salary in New York didn’t mean much, and Steve shared his apartment in Brooklyn with Bucky, and Natasha after the two started dating. It was a large loft, with a beautiful view, but he couldn’t even imagine being able to afford a place of his own in New York. He definitely had no plans of moving anywhere else. 

“Steve, lets go,” Natasha snaps, bringing him out of his half asleep mindset, the man pulling himself up to stand. She had dyed her hair blonde this season, so light it was almost white, and he had to admit she truly did look ethereal. He suspected Bucky’s teasing about her not looking much like a fairy had prompted her to dye her hair, but neither of the men questioned it when she showed up to practice one day without her signature red locks. 

“You want to go next door and get the music ready?” Steve asks, but Natasha shakes her head, moving to remove her cardigan, letting it drop rather pointedly on Bucky’s head, earning her a scowl from her husband as he tosses it aside. 

“We can go in an hour, I want to practice the lifts first. I still think we’re leaning to the left too much on the overheads. We can do better. Come on.”   
  
Steve lets Natasha come to stand in front of him, waiting until shes in position before placing two large hands near her hips, taking in a few deep breaths.    
  
“Arabesque,” Steve instructs, Natasha bringing herself into position, her body angled to the side, her leg up in a beautifully clean line. Steve is aware that the other dancers are watching him as he lifts her up in a presage lift, one hand holding her by the waist, the other under her lifted thigh. To the untrained eye, Steve lifts Natasha up in the air perfectly, no look of strain on his body as he holds his arms high over his head, balancing the ballerina in the air. 

“Still too heavy on the left,” Natasha murmurs, her voice a little softer, Steve frowning to himself, before dropping her down. She was right. Her body was in his control in this movement, and he was the one moving her so all her weight was resting on the hand on her waist, leaving her leg completely weightless, but meaning he’s putting too much pressure on one side. Definitely not performance ready. 

He lets her down gently, Natasha pursing her lips, before gesturing for Bucky to get up. “Come on, make yourself useful.”   
  
The groan is loud enough that the apprentices in the corner giggle, quickly silenced by Bucky’s glare. “You could ask anyone to help. Why me?”   
  
Natasha simply shrugs. “You’re closest, and your pointe work needs improving anyway.”

Bucky glowers, but doesn’t complain any more as he takes Natasha’s position in front of Steve. He’s much heavier, much bulkier, but manages to pull off the same level of grace as he moves into arabesque for his partner. Steve lifts him with not much more effort than it took to lift Natasha, and even though he’s not quite as high in the air, even though he can feel his biceps tense with the effort, he knows he’s still making the same mistake.

  
“Hold,” Natasha says calmly, before coming up and pressing a hand to Steve’s right arm, just above his armpit. “You need to lock it more. I can feel how loose you are. He shifts his weight even a little bit and you’re going to drop him no matter what. Let your hand stay relaxed, but keep your arm holding the same amount of tension as your left. That's it...now bring your shoulders forward just a touch. See? Looks much more even now.”   
  
They carry on like this for another hour, Steve eventually letting Bucky get back to his own practice so he and Natasha can run through a series of lifts, switching between difficult and intermediate, picking up on each others flaws no matter how minor, accepting nothing less than perfection. 


End file.
